It's hard not to feel anxious and fearful as you get older. Things are changing in the world more rapidly than ever. Not only that, but we are constantly overloaded with information from all over the world. We are hearing of so much negative news in itself which is scary, but then we also are constantly being shown people's success stories which then leaves us feeling inadequate about our own lives.
When I was younger and first started battling anxiety, that seemed like the impossible task. Just being able to live a “normal” life was something that I have craved but once I started achieving things that seemed impossible (like going to university) I wanted more.
I knew my life was different than most people’s but actually, we are all unique and we all probably go through those moments of wanting more out of life. Your goals and ideals don’t have to match up with other people’s and neither will your achievements.
Our joy is connected with us living a fulfilling and meaningful life. In order to do so, we need to accept that we all have different paths in life. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? What gets you excited? What would your dream life look like? These kinds of questions are the ones we need to focus on in order to head down the right path.
Think about an organisation. There are different job roles which would represents cogs in a machine. Some of the cogs are bigger and some are smaller but they are all important for the machine. Take any one of them out and it won’t work. That‘s how you can view life. We all have different roles and although it may seem smaller than some others, it’s just as crucial. The hardest habit to break away from is comparisons. It’s difficult to feel like your life is going well when so many other people may be doing similar things. The most obvious examples are either getting married or buying a house. We see other people doing it but it hasn’t happened for us yet and that can leave us feeling down or almost like a failure. That’s not true though! Is that something that is really important to you right now? What good things are in your life?
Here are a few things to remember when you are struggling with the feeling of getting older:
Looks don’t last - be comfortable with your own skin. Aging is a beautiful thing as it means you are living your life. Take care of your body but don’t try to keep it looking picture perfect. It’s ok to have those fine lines on your face. It means you are living your life expressively. Wear what suits you and you feel comfortable in.
Focus on yourself - focus on the things that make you happy and building the life you want. It doesn’t matter what other people are doing. They are on their journey’s and you are on yours. It’s impossible to have every type of lifestyle so make sure the one you have is the one you want.
Time doesn’t matter - Growing older, I’ve noticed this impending sense of doom; like I have to finish certain milestones by a certain ages. Again, that’s not true! Do things in your own time. What’s meant to be will be, all you can do is your best. If you focus on getting married by 25, you might do it but you might just miss out on meeting the love of your life just because you wanted to hit that milestone by a certain age. If you want to start a business, it doesn’t matter if your 16 or 60; go for it!
Stay young in your heart - This is super important. You can stay young forever at heart. Look for the humour in situations, don’t take things too seriously. It’s ok to be silly, and reminisce about good times. You don’t have to “grow up” or “act your age”; just be you.
Every year around the sun is a success - getting older is a great things. You get to live life, experience new things, learn new life lessons. Some people aren’t that fortunate. Getting older is actually a beautiful thing. We get to experience new phases of life almost every year.
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